Aesop's fables enjoy worldly fame, while almost unknown are Sakyamuni's
fables. Obviously there is a difference between them as far as the nature
of the two books are concerned. the former tells stories to teach moral
principles, whereas the latter illustrates a religious precept to reflect
the nature of human being. Therefore, the latter is strictly a religious
literature.

The title of this sutra "Sakyamuni's one Hundred Fables" is
not entirely accurate. Actually, it is short by two fables. One way to
explain this is that it is expedient to speak in round figures. Another
way to explain it is that the prologue and epilogue add up to the figure
of one hundred.

In terms of the writing, the light phrasing does not seem adequate in
light of the solemnity of sutras sometimes. This may be easily explained
by saying that the Buddhist doctrines are so profound that most people,
especially beginners, are not capable of grasping them in abstract arguments.
Like children, they like stories with relaxed and joking expressions.
Therefore, Sakyamuni, the Buddha, speaks to them in their own language
through fables, so that they may easily understand the truth. The Enlightened
One helps them to penetrate further into the spirit of Buddhism.

This Sutra is nearly fifteen hundred years old up to now. It was originally
compiled in Sanskrit from Sakyamuni Buddha's teachings by the Reverend
Sangha Suna and translated into Chinese in a concise, archaic and profound
style by the famous monk Gunavrddhi, of India. Now it is rather difficult,
if not impossible, to understand the purport of phrases. It is all the
more difficult to be translated into English. Consequently, any comment
or correction on the translation will be greatly appreciated.

Deep gratitude is due to Mr. Mou Wen Kai, an old colleague of mine, who
has first encouraged me to undertake the task, and who has then been kind
and patient enough to give me a detailed exposition of the ancient text
to make the task much easier. Without his invaluable help, I would not
have been able to finish the work.

I should also like to record my personal indebtness to Mr. Ben Wang,
M. A. for his careful editing of my original translation. Despite her
busy life, Miss Chiu-ying Chang has spared time to make a fair copy of
this entire work. Thus I feel bound to express here my sincere thanks
for her kind assistance.

Thus have I heard. Once upon a time Sakyamuni, The Enlightened One, was
staying in a park called Karanda Bamboo Grove, near Rajagriha City. He
held a meeting with thirty six thousand men including great monks, Bodhisattvas,
Mahasattvas and the eight groups of supernatural beings. On that occasion,
there were five hundred Brahmans in the assembly. One of them rose from
his seat and said to Sakyamuni, the Buddha:

"We have learned that Buddhism is so profound that there is no parallel
to it. So we have come to ask you to explain it to us."

"Very well," The Enlightened One said.

"Is the universe existent or non-existent?" The Brahman asked.

"It is both existent and non-existent," the Enlightened one
replied.

The Brahman said, "How can you say non-existent of what is now existent?
How can you say existent of what is now non-existent?"

The Enlightened One replied, "The living say it is existent, but
the dead say it is non-existent. Consequently, I say it is both existent
and non-existent."

He asked, "What does man live on?"

The Enlightened One replied, "Man lives on cereals."

He asked, "Where do the five cereals come from?"

"They come from the four elements, fire, wind, water and earth,"
The Enlightened One replied.

"Where do the four elements come from?" the Brahman asked.

"They come from void." The Enlightened One replied.

"Where does the void come from?" He asked.

"It comes from nothingness." The Enlightened One replied.

"Where does nothingness come from?" He asked.

"From the nature." The Enlightened One replied.

"Where does nature come from?" He asked.

"From Nirvana." The Enlightened One replied.

"Where does Nirvana come from?" He asked.

"Why do you ask about such profound things. Nirvana is the law of
non-birth and immortality." The Enlightened One replied.

"Have you attained Nirvana?" He asked.

"I haven't reached Nirvana yet." The Enlightened One replied.

"If you haven't reached Nirvana yet, how do you know Nirvana is
an eternal bliss?" He asked.

"Now let me ask you whether the life of the sentient beings in the
world is happy or miserable," the Enlightened One said.

"I view it as very miserable." He replied.

"What do you mean by miserable?" The Enlightened One said.

"After seeing all the dying men whose pains are unbearable. I know
death is miserable." He replied.

"Now you are not dead, nevertheless, you know death is miserable.
I have seen all Buddhas of the ten directions in space having neither
rebirth nor death. I know, therefore, Nirvana is an eternal bliss."
The Enlightened One said.

Those five hundred Brahmans were satisfied and thus understood what the
Enlightened One had said. They were then willing to accept the five commandments
and asked to be disciples of Gauthama Buddha. Finally, they obtained enlightenment
of the Sotapanna's degree. They sat down as before. The Enlightened One
said, "You all listen carefully to me. I'll give you an extensive
talk of fables."

(1) THE STUPID MAN TAKES SALT

Once upon a time there was a stupid man who went to another man's home.
The host gave him something to eat. After he complained that the food
was insipid, the host added a little salt to it. The stupid guest tried
again, found it better, and thought that it was tasteful, because of the
salt. To his thinking, the food would be so much better, if he took a
great deal of salt. Then this stupid and ignorant man ate it on an empty
stomach. Afterwards, he had his palate out of order and fell ill.

The heretics, having learned that abstaining from food and drink might
lead to the path of Enlightenment, immediately fasted for seven or fifteen
days. They merely got fatigued and famished, accomplishing nothing in
terms of Enlightenment. Those heretics are just like that stupid man,
who, on account of the pleasant flavor that the salt enhanced, ate salt
on an empty stomach only to lose all tastes (and get sick afterwards).

(2) THE STUPID MAN STORES UP
MILK

Once upon a time there was a stupid man who was about to give a party.
He wanted to store up milk for his guests.

"If I milk the cow beforehand every day, he thought, little by little,
there will be too much of milk and will not be enough space to store it
and it may even spoil. It would be better to let it remain inside of the
cow. I'll milk the cow right away at the time of the party."

He then separated the cow from the calf and tied them up apart. A month
later, he actually gave the reception. He tried to milk the cow, but the
milk had run dry. Some guests got annoyed and others laughed at him.

So are the idiotic fellows who want to give alms at once but prefer to
wait until they possess great wealth. It usually happens that, before
they can scrape together enough money, it is seized by the country officers
or taken away by robbers and thieves or by fire and flood. It also happens
that, due to their sudden demise, they are not in time for giving alms.

This is just like the story of the stupid man who stored up milk.

(3) THE HEAD IS BROKEN WITH
PEARS

Once upon a time there was a bald-headed man who was bit in his head
by a few pears thrown at him. He forbore taking the blows without knowing
that he should have tried to dodge them. A bystander asked the man, "Why
didn't you dodge the blows that wounded your head?"

The man answered, "Proudly relying upon doing violence to others
and being short of intelligence, he, the attacker, took my baldhead for
a stone. That's why he struck me with pears and broke my head like that."

The bystander retorted, "It's you who are indeed short of intelligence.
How can you call him stupid? Haven't you been stupid enough to get injured
without the sense to run away?"

So is the monk who, unable to abide discipline, meditation and wisdom,
keeps only a good appearance to expect support. He is just like that stupid
man who got as far as wounded on the head without knowing to run away
and called the attacker stupid into the bargain.

(4) THE WIFE PRETENDS TO BE
DEAD

Once upon a time there was a stupid man who loved very much his beautiful
wife. However, she had no true love for him. In the meantime, she associated
herself surreptitiously with another man. Burning with lecherous passions,
she wanted to leave her husband to be with her lover. She secretly told
an old woman, "After my departure, I would like you to place a woman's
corpse in my house. You then tell my husband that I'm dead."

The old woman did what she was told. She told the husband shortly after
his return that his wife passed away. He went to see the corpse and believed
it was that of his own wife. He grieved and wept bitterly. He gathered
a great deal of wood and oil together for the cremation. Then he put the
ashes into a bag and had it with him day and night.

Shortly after, the wife got tired of her lover. She came back and told
her husband, "I'm your wife."

The husband answered, "My wife died a long time ago. Who are you
to lie to me that you are my wife?"

The husband refused to believe her, in spite of her repeated explanations.

So are the heretics who, having learned the heretical doctrine, confusedly
stick to it with all their soul and take the doctrine to be the right
one without altering their mind forever. Thus they will be unable to believe,
accept or keep any other creed even it is an orthodox one.

(5) GETTING THIRSTY ON SEEING
WATER

Once there was a fellow desperately in need of water for his thirst.
On seeing the blazing fog, he mistook it for water. He pursued it until
he reached the Indus River. But he only looked at it without drinking.
A bystander asked, "You are suffering from thirst. How that you have
found water, why don't you drink it?"

The fellow answered, "If I could drink up all that water, I would
do it. Since there is more water than I can finish, I would rather not
drink it at all."

As soon as people heard this, they laughed aloud at him. The heretics,
acting against all senses and reasons, think since they are unable to
keep all the Buddhist commandments, they refuse to accept any of them.
They will never attain the path of Enlightenment and thus subject to transmigration
in time to come. They are just like that stupid thirsty fellow who gets
laughed at by his contemporaries.

(6) THE DEAD SON IS ABOUT TO
REMAIN IN THE HOUSE

Once upon a time there was a man who brought up seven boys, one of whom
died. Finding the son dead, he intended to leave the body in the house
and moved out himself. A bystander said to him, "You know the living
and the dead go separate ways. Since your son is dead, he should be quickly
buried in a far away place with all due solemnity. Now why do you want
to leave your house and let your dead son remain here?"

When the man heard this, he decided to bury his son and not let the corpse
lie at home. He then thought he would have to kill another son to hang
one body on each end of the pole to keep in equilibrium and carry them
for burial in a long way off the forest. That seemed the only thing possible
for him to do and he did it. His contemporaries laughed aloud at his unprecedented
eccentricities.

A monk, who secretly broke one commandment, felt afraid to confess it.
He would pretend that he had scrupulously kept all commandments and led
a life free from evil and defilement.

Some wise men might then tell him, "A monk should keep the commandments
just like brilliant pearls should be protected from being damaged. How
can you break what you have accepted? Now you are reluctant to confess
them."

The offender would answer, "Now that I have to confess, I might
as well do more breakings. Then I'll confess all my sins at once."

Consequently, he broke more commandments by doing many evil things before
his confession. This monk is just like that stupid man who kills another
son when one dies.

(7) ONE RECKONS ANOTHER MAN
TO BE ONE'S ELDER BROTHER

Once upon a time, there was a man endowed with a respectable appearance
and intelligence as well as wealth. All these evoked feelings of admiration
and praise from the people around him. Another man then claimed this man
to be his elder brother. He did so, because of the man's wealth. When
he needed money, he called the man elder brother. After the rich man paying
his debt, he stopped calling him elder brother. A bystander asked, "You
are a strange man. When you are in need of money, you call him elder brother.
When he is in debt, you will not. Why?"

The man answered, "When I want to get at his money, I'll call him
elder brother. As a matter of fact, he isn't my own elder brother. When
he is in debt, I will not call him elder brother."

Hearing these words, people laughed at him.

The heretics, who have heard the good words of Buddhism, purloin and
make use of them as their own. When people try to teach them how to practice
the goods words, they do not want to listen. They declared that they use
the good words of Buddhism to instruct the other people in order to earn
a living. There is no need that they should bother to know how to practice
it.

Those heretics are just like the stupid man who calls the rich man elder
brother for his money.

(8) A RUSTIC STEALS CLOTHES
FROM THE PALACE TREASURY

Once upon a time there was a rustic who stole garments from the palace
and then escaped to a remote place. The king sent men to search for him
in all directions. Finally, he was arrested and taken to the king who
accused him of theft and asked him where he had got the clothes. The rustic
answered that they belonged to his grandfather. The king then ordered
him to put them on. He did not know how to wear them. He put on his arms
what should be worn on his legs. What he ought to have on his waist, he
put on his head. Seeing this, the king summoned his ministers for consultation
on the matter.

"If the clothes belonged to your grandfather, you should know how
to wear them. How can you wear them in all wrong ways? It's certain that
they are not your old clothes. You have stolen them," said the king.

Figuratively speaking, here the king is like Buddha; the valuable clothes,
the Buddhist teachings; the stupid rustic, the heretic.

A heretic, who has eavesdropped on Buddhism, makes it for his own. He
then misinterprets it, because he does not know the real meaning of its
teachings.

This heretic is like the rustic who stole the king's valuable clothes
without knowing how to wear them properly and put them on in all the wrong
ways.

(9) THE FATHER'S VIRTUES ARE
PRAISED

Once upon a time there was a man who praised his father's virtues before
everybody.

"My father is compassionate. He neither kills nor steals. He speaks
earnestly and gives alms," said the man.

At the time, it so happened that a stupid man heard those words and declared,
"My father is more virtuous than yours."

The others asked, "In what way he is more virtuous'! Please tell
us about him."

The man answered, "Undefiled as my father was, he gave up completely
his sexual desires when he was young".

The others said, "If your father had done so, how could he have
brought you into the world?"

This aroused the sardonical laugh from all those around him.

There are those ignorant people in the world who want to extol the merits
of others without knowing how to be realistic and get ridiculed instead.
These people are just like that stupid man who wanted to praise his father
but turned out to speak fatuously.

(10) THREE - STORIED HOUSE

Once there was an ignorant rich man who, one day, went to another rich
man's three-storied house. Struck with admiration by the imposing, spacious,
airy and well - lighted building, he said to himself, "I'm no less
rich than he. Why don't I have the same house built as this one?"

Thereupon, he sent for a carpenter and said, "Can you construct
an imposing house exactly like that one?"

That carpenter replied, "It's I who built that one."

He went on, "Now you may build a house like that one for me."

The carpenter began first to level the ground, afterward laid the foundation
stones and then drove in piles for walls. The stupid man could not make
it out when he saw the worker doing all these. He asked,"What are
you doing now?"

The carpenter replied, "I'm building three floors."

The stupid man went on, "I don't want the two floors below. You
had better start building from the third floor for me."

The carpenter answered, "It's impossible. If I don't begin with
the ground floor, how can I build the second? If I don't build the two
below, how can I build the third floor?"

The stupid man persisted saying, "But I don't need the two floors
below, only the top."

Hearing those words, his contemporaries sardonically laughed at him.
They all said how could one have the top floor done without building the
lower floors?

Sakyamuni's four degrees of disciples who are unable to practice earnestly
Buddhism and respect the Three Precious Ones, wanted to attain the path
of deliverance by leading an idle life. They said, "We don't need
the first three degrees below, but seek only that of Arahant's."

There was no difference between the stupid rich man and those disciples
who were also laughed at by their contemporaries.

(11) THE BRAHMAN KILLS HIS
SON

Once upon a time, there was a Brahman who prided himself on his erudite
knowledge of astrology and various arts. He was such a conceited man that
he claimed to be learned in everything. To show his ability, he went abroad
carrying his son in his arms and cried. The Brahman was asked, "Why
are you crying?"

He replied, "This baby is going to die within seven days. I'm grieved
at his inevitable death. That's why I can't help crying."

The contemporaries said, "It's difficult to know a man's life. It's
easy to make a miscalculation. He may not die seven days. Why should you
weep in advance?"

The Brahman said, "The sun and the moon may set and the stars may
fall, but I have never had a miscalculation on my record."

To prove his self-claimed knowledge, he killed his son on the seventh
day, for the sake of fame and gain. The contemporaries heard the news
of his son's death at the foretold time. They marvelled that he was indeed
an erudite man who could prove true of what he had said. They all came
to pay him homage, and were heartily convinced that he deserved respect
(as a prophet).

This is also true with those of Sakyamuni's four degrees of disciples
who claim to have attained the path of Enlightenment for the sake of the
material offerings from others. They would try to fool people by killing
an innocent man in order to deceitfully show the virtue of compassion.
Such disciples would be certainly doomed to limitless suffering in time
to come, just like the Brahman who wanted to prove the accuracy of his
prophecy by killing his son and thus deceived people.

(12) THE BOILED BLACK ROCK
- HONEY SYRUP

Once upon a time, a man was boiling black rock-honey syrup, when a rich
man came to his house. He thought he would give the syrup to the rich
man. He poured a little water into it and put it on a slow fire. He then
fanned it with a fan in the hope of cooling it.

A bystander addressed to him, "If you don't put out the fire below,
how can you cool it even though you keep on fanning?"

People began to laugh at him.

This is like the heretics who will practice a little mortification by
sleeping on thorny brambles without putting out the flames of annoyance.
As the five passions are still blazing within them, there is no way for
such people to become cool and quiet. As a result, they sardonically laughed
at by the wise. Moreover, they will suffer affliction in their present
lives and transmigration in the future.

(13) COMMENTING ON SOMEONE'S
QUICK TEMPER

Once a group of people sat in a house commenting on someone as being
of good virtue except for two faults:

First, he was quick- tempered. Second, he was impulsive.

At the time, this man happened to pass by the door and heard the comment.
He entered the house, grabbed the man who had criticized him, and started
to beat him.

Thereupon one bystander asked why he beat the man.

He replied, "When did I ever lose my temper or act impulsively?
This man said: I often did so. That's why I have beaten him."

The bystander pointed out, "Your action at once demonstrates that
you have often lost your temper and acted impulsively. Why do you still
want to conceal your character from others?"

This man who resents to having his faults exposed, often leads people
to lay all the blame for the stupidity and foolishness on him.

People, who are addicted to drinking and other debaucheries, when scolded
by others, strongly hate their critics in turn. Moreover, they try desperately
to justify themselves by bringing forward all sorts of excuses. Those
men are just like that stupid man who disliked hearing about his faults
discussed.

(14) OFFERING THE GUIDE UP
AS SACRIFICE TO GOD

Once upon a time there was a group of merchants who wanted to go to the
sea. A guide was required. They set out in quest of such a man. After
finding such a man, they started the trip and saw a temple when they reached
a land of wilderness. A man had to be immolated to cross it.

After consultation, the group of merchants said that they could not choose
anyone in the company to be killed, for they were all related. The only
one fit to be sacrificed was the guide. So they killed him. After performing
the rites, they soon lost their way and knew not which direction to go.
They then died one after another.

So are the people in general.

Those who seek to fish for treasure in the sea of Dharma should keep
the commandments of doing good deeds as their guide. If they break them,
they will end their lives in the wilderness and can never be rescued.
Furthermore, they will have to go through the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration
and suffer forever and ever.

Such men are just like the group of merchants who killed the guide and
died in a body as a result.

(15) THE PHYSICIAN GIVES MEDICINE
TO THE PRINCESS TO MADE HER GROW UP FAST

Once upon a time there was a king who brought a daughter into the world.
He sent for the doctor and asked him, "Could you prescribe some drugs
for my daughter in order to make her grow up faster?"

The physician replied, "I have a good prescription for her. However,
I don't have the medicine on hand. I should look for it. Your Majesty
must not see her at the time of my searching for the medicine. I'll present
her to your Majesty after she has taken it."

Then the physician went to a remote region in search of the medicine.
He found it and came back twelve years later. Having taken the medicine,
the daughter was led to the king who was happy to see her. Then he said
to himself, "He's a good physician. My daughter has indeed grown
after taking his medicine."

The king then ordered his attendants to reward the doctor lavishly with
gems. All the courtiers derided the king for his ignorance to such an
extent that he did not know to think of the year in which his daughter
was born. The king believed that her growing was due to the effect of
the medicine.

So are the people in general. They will visit a wise man and say, "We
should like to attain the path of Enlightenment. Please instruct us that
we may immediately receive the transcendent wisdom."

By means of expediency, the master will guide them to practice meditation
and contemplate the Twelve Links connected with the causation of rebirth.
After gradually accumulating all kinds of merits, they reach the Arahant's
degree. TheN they will jump with joy and exclaim, "How fast it is!
Our great master, you have made us obtain so quickly the quintessential
truth."

(16) WATER THE SUGAR - CANE

Once upon a time two men who cultivated sugar-cane, pledged that the
one who had a good harvest would win prizes, while the one with a bad
harvest would be heavily penalized. One of them thought, "The sugar-cane
itself is very sweet. It will be more delicious if I water it with its
compressed juice. Then I will get the upper hand over him."

Immediately, he began to press the juice from the sugar-cane. He watered
the plant with the juice in the hope of making it more delicious. Instead,
he destroyed the seedling and lost his entire plantation.

So are people at large. Those who wish for the comforts of life use their
high positions and great influence to oppress the mass. They steal others'
possessions as their own wealth to do good works with a view to enjoy
better life afterwards. However, they are unaware of the calamities, which
are to come upon them. Those people are just like the man who, pressing
the sugar - cane, lost everything.

(17) A DEBT OF HALF A CENT

Once a merchant lent half a cent to a man who then took a long time repaying
him. The merchant went to the man to ask him to clear the debt sooner.
To go there, he had to pay two cents as ferry fare to cross a wide river.
The debtor was not at home when he arrived there. On his trip back, he
had to pay as much again. It amounted to four cents in total.

For a debt of half a cent, the merchant lost four cents. Moreover, he
got very tired from his journey. He lost a great more than what he stood
to gain. As a result, he was sardonically laughed at.

So are the people at large.

To seek a little fame and gain, people will spare no pains to bring ruin
upon what should be their greater concern. They seek self-preservation
at the expense of morality. Consequently, they will earn a bad name in
this life and suffer retribution in the hereafter.

(18) GRIND A KNIFE UPSTAIRS

Once upon a time there was a poor man who had to work very hard in the
king's service. As time went on, he became emaciated. Out of pity, the
king gave him a dead camel. Having received it, the poor man began to
flay it. His knife being very blunt, he looked for a whetstone to grind
it. At last, he found one upstairs where he sharpened the knife.

He then went back downstairs to skin the camel. He ran up and down the
stairs doing the sharpening and skinning frantically for a while and finally
he felt so tired that he could not go on any longer. Then he had to hang
the camel upstairs to be closer to the whetstone. People guffawed at him.

A stupid man who, by breaking the strict commandments gathers plenty
of money and uses it on offering in the hope that he will be born in Heaven.
This stupid man is just like the poor man who worked hard for little gain
in hanging his camel upstairs and sharpening his knife.

(19) LOSS OF A SILVER BOWL
BY BOAT

Once upon a time there was a man who dropped a silver bowl into the sea
while crossing it. He pondered, "I'm going to make a mark on the
water. I'm carrying on my journey now. But I'll come back for it later."

After two months' travel during which he visited Ceylon and many other
countries. On seeing a river, he jumped into the water looking for the
bowl he had lost before.

"What are you doing there?" people asked.

He replied, "I have lost my bowl. Now I would like to get it back."

People went on, "When did you lose it?"

He answered, "I lost it crossing the sea."

Again people asked, "How long ago did you lose it?"

He answered, "I lost it two months ago."

People asked, "Since you lost it two months ago in the sea, why
are you looking for it here in the river?"

He answered, "I made a mark on the water where I lost the bowl.
This water looks the same as the other. There seems no difference. That's
why I'm doing this."

People went on, "Though all waters are identical, the place that
you have lost it is there. How can you find it here?"

Everybody jeered at him.

The heretics, who do not practice the right religious belief, but a fallacious
one, suffer from their useless mortification in seeking deliverance. Those
men are just like the stupid man who has lost his bowl in the sea and
looked for it in the river.

(20) THE KING WAS SAID TO HAVE
GIVEN REIN TO CRUELTY

Once upon a time a man pronouncing his king's crimes, said, "Very
cruel is the king. He is incapable of governing."

On hearing this, the king lost his temper without making sure who it
was that had said it. He took his deceitful attendant's advice by holding
an eminent minister under arrest. He ordered to have his backbone flayed
and have his body cut to one hundred ounces of flesh for punishment.

Soon afterwards, a man testified the minister's innocence to the king.
To his regret, the king ordered one thousand ounces of flesh is given
to the minister to make up for what was cut off from his body.

Later, when the minister gave a groan with pain at night, the king asked,
"What's wrong with you? I have given you back ten times more than
I had taken from you. Are you not satisfied with it? Why are you still
moaning?"

A bystander replied, "Oh! My great king! If anyone cut your Majesty's
head and gave back one thousand other heads, could you Majesty keep out
of the way of death? How could getting ten times of the flesh the minister
relieve himself the pain?"

So is the stupid man who is greedy for the present pleasure but not afraid
of the consequences for the hereafter. He makes people around him miserable
and puts them into requisition trying to make a fortune. On the other
hand, he hopes to redeem his sins and obtain blessedness.

This stupid man is just like the king who first flayed and punished someone
and then tried to give him back the flesh. It is impossible that the pain
can be eased.

(21) A WOMAN LONGS FOR A SECOND
CHILD

Once there was a woman who longed for a second child. He asked other
women, "Who could bring me another child?"

An old lady told her, "I can find a way for you to give birth to
another child, on one condition that you should offer a sacrifice to God."

She asked, "What have I to offer as a sacrifice?"

Thereupon, the old lady replied, "Kill your son and use his blood
as a sacrifice to God. Thus you'll certainly get many other children."

Subsequently, she tried to follow the old lady's instructions. A wise
man nearby heard the story first jeered and then scolded the woman, "How
so stupid and ignorant you are! To kill your son that you have now! Are
you sure that you'll have another one whose birth is unknown?"

So is the stupid man who in order to get uncertain happiness, plunges
into the burning pit and does all, sorts of wrong-doings in the hope of
entering Heaven after death.

(22) GET LIGNALOES FROM UNDER
THE SEA

Once upon a time there was a merchant who was getting lignaloes from
under the sea. He did not gather enough of them to fill up a cart to bring
back home until several years later. He then transported them into the
market. However, there were no buyers, due to their high price. Unable
to sell them after several days, he got bored and tired.

While he saw some other dealers selling out quickly their charcoal, he
said to himself that it is better to burn the lignaloes into charcoal
in order to get them sold quickly.

After he burnt them, he went to the market again, but the value of the
burnt lignaloes was less than half of that of the charcoal.

So are the stupid in the world. To attain Buddhahood, it requires them
to practice diligently and zealously through various methods. However,
they draw back from encountering difficulties. They would resolve reaching
Sravaka stage by destroying quickly the Karma of reincarnation in their
hope of becoming Arahant.

(23) THE THIEF STEALS EMBROIDERED
SATIN TO WRAP UP WORN CLOTHES AND RAGS

Once upon a time there was a thief who sneaked into a rich man's house
to steal a piece of embroidered satin. He used it to wrap up such objects
as worn clothes, rags and sundry effects. He was laughed at by the wise.

So are the stupid in the world who have faith in Buddhism, who practice
good teachings and who do meritorious works. Because of their basic greed
for gain, however, they break the pure commandments and lose their various
merits. They are also laughed at by the people at large.

(24) TO CULTIVATE THE BOILED
SESAME

Once upon a time, a stupid man who, after eating the raw sesame, found
it not as tasty as the boiled kind. He said to himself, "I would
boil the sesame before cultivating it. This way I could produce better
sesame."

He then boiled and cultivated it as he had planned. However, the attempt
failed altogether.

So are the people at large who consider it difficult to follow Bodhisattva's
practice, due to the strict requirement of eternities of the strenuous
efforts. Finding no pleasure, they think that it will be easier for them
to become Arahant's by cutting quickly off the transmigration, without
realizing that they would never attain Buddhahood that way, just as the
boiled seed that would never grow.

This is just like the story of the stupid who tried to cultivate boiled
sesame.

(25) THE FIRE AND THE WATER

Once upon a time, there was a man who needed fire and cold water in caring
out his household duties. He built a fire in his room. He filled a kettle
with water and put it on the fire. Afterwards, the fire went out and the
cold water turned hot. He got neither fire nor cold water.

So are the people at large who, devoted to the attainment of Buddhism,
seek the enlightened way by becoming monks. But afterwards, they still
keep ties to their wives, children and relatives; maintain their concern
with the worldly affairs and their enjoyment of the five desires as well.
For these reasons, they lose their meritorious blessings like the fire.
They also break their commandments like the cold water.

This is held to be true with greedy men.

(26) THE KING'S BLINKING HABIT
IS IMITATED

Once upon a time, there was a man who wanted to please the king. He asked
the others how to do it and was told, "If you want to please the
king, you should imitate him."

He then went to the palace where he saw the king blinking. Thereupon,
he imitated and the king asked him, "Do you have sore eyes? Is the
wind disturbing your eyes? Why are you blinking?"

He replied, "Not at all on seeing your Majesty, I want to be just
like you to please your Majesty."

Upon hearing those words, the king got very angry. The man was punished
by hard blows and sent into exile.

So are the people at large. They wish to approach Buddha, king of the
Law, to achieve advancement. Once there, Buddha reveals to them his human
weaknesses for the welfare of all mankind. When they sometimes hear of
using incorrect phrases in his teachings, they may be unable to understand
Buddha and they start to ridicule and defame him. They imitate all his
weaknesses. For this reason, they lose the benefit they have got from
Buddhism forever and fall into Three Evil Paths of Transmigration accordingly.

This is just like the story of the man imitating the king's blinking
habit.

(27) DRESS WHIP WOUNDS

Once upon a time, there was a man who was punished by the king by whipping
and was wounded from it. He applied on the wounds horse excrement for
quick recovery. A stupid man nearby was pleased to see it. He said to
himself, "I have just discovered the method to cure a wound faster."

As soon as he got home, he told his son, "You are going to whip
me until I'm wounded. I have got a good method to cure wounds. I should
like to try it."

Then, he was flogged by his son who dressed his wounds with horse excrement,
believing it was a good method.

So are the people at large who hear that the practice of meditation on
impurities could remove the evil corruption of the body. They say to themselves
in these words, "We are going to meditate on venery and the five
desires."

They did not see the impurities of the body, but rather got deceitful
and wrong ideas from the pursuit of sexual pleasure. Furthermore, they
suffer from Transmigration and descend into Hell.

This is held to be true with the stupid at large dressing their wounds
with horse excrement.

(28) CHANGE THE WIFE'S NOSE

Once upon a time, there was a man whose wife was graceful except for
her ugly nose. When he was out, he saw another graceful looking woman
with a pretty nose. It came into his mind that "I would cut her nose
and transplant it on my wife's face. Wouldn't that be nice?"

He then cut the nose off this other woman. Caring it home he hurriedly
called out to his wife, "Come quickly! I got a pretty nose for you."

Once she came out, he cut off her nose and replaced it with the one he
had cut off first. It did not fit; also the wife suffered a great pain.

So are the stupid in the world. They hear that aged monks and Brahmans
with great fame and merit are respected and much supported. They say to
themselves in these words, "There is no difference between them and
us."

They falsely pretend to be virtuous. Not only do they gain nothing, they
get a bad name for their misbehavior as well. Those people are just like
the stupid man cutting other's nose only to injure his own wife.

(29) THE POOR MAN BURNS HIS
COARSE WOOLLEN CLOTHING

Once upon a time, there was a poor and weary man who wore a coarse woolen
garment, which he had made for his customer. He was seen by a stranger
who said to him, "Coming from an honorable family clan, you are the
son of a man of high position. Why do you wear such coarse woolen clothing?
Now let me teach you how to get some fine clothes. You should follow my
instructions. I won't cheat you."

The poor man follows his instructions happily. The stranger immediately
lit a fire before him and said in these words, "Now you may take
off your coarse woolen garment and put it into the fire. You'll get some
beautiful clothes out of the flame instead."

The poor man did as he was told. After his old clothes were burnt, nothing
was left but ashes.

So are the people at large.

Our being born as human beings must be attributed to the practice of
a good religion from former lives. We should take good care of our beings
and improve our virtue and do good deeds. We are sometimes cheated by
the heretics, vicious men and seductive women, who said, "You should
believe us that you will be reborn, after this life, in the Brahman Heaven
and enjoy longevity and happiness, if you practice ascetics by jumping
into the fire or rocks now."

This is just like the story of the poor man burning his clothing.

(30) THE SHEEP - FARMER

Once upon a time, there was a shepherd who was skillful in raising as
many as thousands of sheep. However, he was so stingy that he would not
spend a penny.

At the time, a swindler found means to make friends with him and said,
"Since you and I have become intimate friends united as one man,
there should be no gap of any kind between us now. I know a pretty girl
from a certain family. I should like you to ask her to be your wife."

The sheep-farmer was glad to hear those words. He gave him a flock of
sheep and other precious things.

The swindler then said, "Now your wife has brought a child into
the world."

The sheep-farmer was very delighted to learn about this, in spite of
the fact that he had not met her yet. Again he gave him more things.

Then one day the swindler said, "Your child is dead shortly after
birth."

On hearing those words, the sheep-farmer cried bitterly and sighed ceaselessly.

So are the people at large.

There are people who, acquiring much knowledge, put their creed into
practice only for fame and gain. They keep secret its teachings, unwilling
to preach or to teach the others. Indulging in mundane pleasures, they
are cheated by the transience of their bodies like the poor man cheated
by the illusion of getting a wife and a child. Consequently, they lose
first their good faith, then their lives and finally their precious possessions.
They can then only shed bitter tears by getting depressed and melancholy
just like the sheep-farmer.

(31) MASON WANTED

Once upon a time, a Brahman master indented to give a big party. He told
his disciple, "I need earthenware for the party. Go to the market
and fetch for me a mason."

On his way to the mason's home, the disciple came across a man whose
donkey was loaded with earthenware for sale in the market. Yet all pottery
was broken by the animal in the twinkling of an eye. On his return home,
the man was crying and getting quite distraught. On seeing this, the disciple
asked: "Why are you so sad and disappointed?"

The man replied, "I have been making earthenware with all my expedient
means after toiling and moiling for many years. I was on my way to the
market intending to sell them. But this dumb animal has broken all I had
in no time. That's why I'm so distraught."

The disciple was glad to see and hear all this and said, "It's a
good donkey. I should like to buy it."

The mason was delighted to sell it. When the disciple rode it back, the
master asked, "Why didn't you come back with a mason? What's the
idea of bringing a donkey here?"

The disciple replied, "This donkey is better than a mason, for it
can break things in a split second what a mason has made over a long time."

The master said, "You are stupid and ignorant indeed. Although the
donkey can break things in a second, it can't even make one pottery in
a hundred years."

So are the people at large. Those who sometimes receive offerings from
their benefactors for a hundred years, give nothing in return. On the
contrary, they always do more harm than good.

This is held to be true with someone who shows ingratitude.

(32) A TRADER STEALS GOLD

Once upon a time, two traders ran some business together. One was a seller
of genuine gold, while the other, Tula cotton. A buyer of gold came along
and asked for a fire test before buying it. The cotton trader stole the
burnt gold and wrapped it with his Tula cotton, which got all burnt up
by the red-hot gold.

Thus the stealing was revealed. Consequently, he lost both gold and Tula
cotton.

Like them are the heretics, who steal from Buddhism and write in their
own religion. They wrongfully claim Buddhism to be their own teaching
and deny copying from it. For this reason, they burn and destroy their
heretic scripture, which is disappeared from the world.

This is just like the story of the disclosure of the stealing of gold.

(33) HACKING A TREE DOWN FOR
FRUIT

Once upon a time, there was a king who had a tremendously gigantic and
beautiful tree. It always produced excellent fruit with fragrance and
sweetness. One day the king told a guest who was visiting his palace,
"Wouldn't you like to pluck some of the fruits?"

The man replied, "I wish to have some, but how Call I get them,
the tree is so tall and large."

The king then ordered to have the tree hacked down to get the fruit.
In this context, all hard efforts were made in vain. The king still tried
to revive the tree, which had withered and died.

So are the people at large.

Buddha, the king of the Law, possesses a "tree of keeping commandments"
which bears wonderful fruit. It gives people happiness and makes their
wishes come true. To get the fruit, one has to observe all commandments.

Those who do not know how to do good deeds by expedient means, do wrong
things in breaking commandments instead. This is just like the king who
ordered to have the tree hacked down and the unable to make it grow again.
Those who break commandments are just like that.

(34) TO SEND PURE SPRING WATER

Once upon a time, there was a village, which was located five Yojanas
away from the city and supplied pure spring water. The king ordered the
water to be sent to him in the palace every day by the villagers. Becoming
utterly weary of the irksome task, they all wanted to move away to some
remote place.

To them, the village chief said,"Don't go away. I'll talk with the
king for you to alter the distance between here and the palace from five
Yojanas into three Yojanas. It would be closer for coming and going without
much weariness."

The chief hastened to report to the king who changed the mileage. People
were delighted at knowing this. Some of them said that there was no difference
whatsoever. Most still stayed on, because of their newly reassured confidence
in the king.

So are the people in various walks of life.

Those who devote themselves to the right religion for crossing the Five
Paths toward the Nirvana City, intend to abandon their faith when they
are weary and exhausted. Traveling by the transmigration boat, they are
unable to make their way toward the shore.

However, Buddha, the king of the Law, has many expedient means from the
One Vehicle to the Three Vehicles. Those who follow the Hinayana sect
are glad to hear those words and find it easier to practice. Therefore,
they spare no effort to do good deeds and improve themselves spiritually
so as to make their way of transmigration toward the other shores. Afterwards,
they realize that there is no Three Vehicles but ones. Because of the
confidence in Buddha's words, they do not want to abandon their faith
by then.

This is just like the story of the villagers ending pure spring water.

(35) THE MIRROR IN A VALUABLE
CASE

Once upon a time there was a poor and weary man who was always in debt.
Insolvent, he hid himself in the wilderness where he found a valuable
case full of precious things. A crystal mirror covered them. The poor
man was most delighted to see them. He did not hesitate to take them.
But he was frightened when he discovered a man's image in the mirror.
Twisting his hands, he said, "I thought it was nothing more than
on empty case. I wasn't aware of your being in the case. Don't get angry
with me!"

He then gave up the whole case. So are the people from all walks of life.

Those who are weary of countless annoyances in life and persecuted by
the creditors of the Transmigration Devil, want to avoid them and free
from them through their belief in Buddhism. They begin to practice their
faith and do good deeds just as the valuable case to the poor man. Troubled
by the man's image- in the mirror, they wrongly cling to the ego taken
as the real. They fall decadent and lose all their merits acquired previously
from meditation, monastic grade and good deeds. Furthermore, they fail
in their attainment of the Nirvana from the Three Vehicles, just like
the stupid man sticking to the prejudice of the ego and abandoning their
precious findings in the case.

(36) TO BLIND AN IMMORTAL

Once upon a time, there was a man who went to the mountains to learn
Buddhist Priesthood. He succeeded in becoming an Immortal possessing five
supernatural powers. His divine vision could perceive all hidden sundry
treasures. Upon hearing it, the king said to one of his ministers excitedly:

"In order to add more valuable things to my treasury, could you
make this man live permanently in our country?"

The stupid minister went to his man soon afterwards and took his eyes.
He then went back to the king and said, "I have gouged out his eyes
so he couldn't go away but stay in this country forever."

The king exclaimed, "What is important for his staying in this country
is that he could perceive all hidden treasures. Now that you have gouged
out his eyes, he is useless to me."

So are the people at large. Upon seeing a monk making strenuous efforts
to meditate on the Fourfold stage of Mindfulness and the impurities or
the human body on mountain groves, among tombs, in the wilderness or under
a tree, a layman invited him home to practice by making various offerings.
But in so doing, he destroys the monk's good works done before and his
chance of attaining Nirvana. Therefore, he makes him lose the benefit
of the eyes of Enlightenment without obtaining anything.

This is just like the fatuous minister blinding the man with no avail.
.

(37) TO KILL A HERD OF CATTLE

Once upon a time, there was a man who owned two hundred fifty cows. He
often took them to the pastureland for grazing. By accident, one day a
cow was killed by a tiger. The cattle owner said to himself, "Now
that a cow is lost, it's no longer an even number. What's the use of having
them at all?"

He then drove the cattle to a high cliff and killed them all by pushing
them down the cliff.

So are the vulgar people in the world.

One who observes all of Buddha's commandments breaks one commandment
without any sense of shame or repentance. On the contrary, he says to
himself: "Now that one commandment is broken, I'm no longer perfect.
What's the use of keeping any of the others?"

All commandments are broken as a result of his ill logic. He is just
like the stupid man killing all his cattle.

(38) YELLING AT WATER

Once upon a time, there was a man who was tired and thirsty from traveling.
He drank some fresh running water from the wooden bucket. After he had
had enough, he raised his hands in front of the water and said, "I
have had enough to drink. Stop flowing!"

The water went on. Losing his temper, he yelled, "I told you to
stop. Why don't you listen?"

On seeing this, an onlooker said, "You are so ignorant. Why don't
you just leave?"

Thereupon, the onlooker drew him away.

So are the people at large.

One who immerges himself in transmigrations and the thirst of desire
drinks salty water of the five desires. After getting tired of them, he
says in those words, "Disappear, thou Five Desires. Don't let me
see you again, I've told you. Why are you still present?"

A wise man tells him, "You can keep the Five Desires away by controlling
your six organs of senses2 or by closing your mind and thought to them.
Then illusions will not arise and consequently Enlightenment may be attained.
Why do you need to tell "Desires" to be out of your sight and
to disappear?"

This is just like the story of the man yelling at the water.

(39) HOUSE PAINTING

Once upon a time, there was a man who went to another man's house, which
had just been painted, and the floor made even. It was nice and clean.
He asked the host, "With what paint did you make the wall so white
and beautiful?"

The host replied, "I mixed rice bran with water and day. The beauty
is the result."

To himself, the guest said, "It would be better if he had used rice
grain instead of bran. The wall would be more smooth and more beautiful."

He then used his own formula on his own house. The walls turned out to
be concave and convex with cracks on them.

The stupid man thus wasted all his rice grain. It had better have done
alms-giving to obtain any merits.

So are the common people. Those who have heard the Saints preaching that
people who do good deeds may go to Heaven after death and consequently
get deliverance, commit suicide to get there. They merely 1ose their lives
in vain without getting anywhere just like that stupid man with his paint.

(40) TO CURE BALDNESS

Once upon a time, there was a man who was completely bald. He felt very
cold in winter and hot in summer. He was stung by gadflies and mosquitoes.
He suffered from his baldness day and night. One day, he went to see a
specialist well known for his medical and surgical practice and said,
"Great Master! Would you cure my baldness?"

Taking off his hat, the doctor revealed to him that he too was bald and
said, "I have the same trouble as you. If I could cure it, I would
have done so with myself long time ago."

So are the people at large. Suffering from the agonies of birth, old
age, sickness and death, people seek for immortality. They hear Sramanas,
Brahmans etc, are the best doctors in the world who know now to cure all
kinds of diseases. They go to a Brahman and say, "Would you release
us from the pain of impenitence and transmigration and help us live in
happiness and immortality?"

The Brahman tells them, "I also suffer from those agonies that you
feel. So I'm looking for immortality, which I can't find. If I was able
to make you get it, I would get it first for myself and then for you too."

The Brahman is just like the bald man getting weary in vain for his healing.

(41) PISACAH DEVILS

Once upon a time, there were two Pisacah devils who conjointly owned
a suitcase, a stick and a pair of wooden shoes about which they fought
for their monopoly. They were quarreling all day long without reaching
a settlement.

An onlooker came over and asked, "What are the particularities of
those three things that you have been fighting for so angrily?"

The two devils replied, "This suitcase of ours turns out all sorts
of things such as clothes, food, bed articles used on a bed, and other
living necessities. One who takes the stick can conquer his hateful enemies
without encountering resistance. One who puts on these shoes will be able
to fly without a hitch."

Upon hearing it, the onlooker said to the devils, "Would you please
stand further away! Let me equally apportion them to you both."

The two devils moved away. Immediately the onlooker flew off snatching
their suitcase and stick with the shoes on. The two devils were startled
at the loss of their share. To them he said, "I got what you have
been fighting for. Now you need not are any more."

Here Pisacah refers to devils and heretics.

Almsgiving applies to the suitcase that turns out all the essential things
to the needs of the Five Ways of Existence such as human beings, Devas,
etc.

Meditation symbolizes the stick, which can disperse or submit devils,
enemies and afflictions as thieves.

Commandments observing is like the shoes that ensure rebirth in the world
of Devas and men.

As for the divils and heretics, coveting the suitcase, it signifies that
they labor themselves to the seeking for the reward of Enlightenment in
the imperfect way, which result in nothing to be obtained.

If one can perform acts of merit together with almsgiving, commandments
observing and meditation practice, he will be rid of all suffering and
in turn obtain Nirvana.

(42) THE TRADER AND THE DEAD
CAMEL

Once there was a trader who was traveling on business. It so happened
that the camel suddenly died on the way. The animal was loaded with valuable
things such as jewels, clothes, carpet of first quality and sundries.
The trader then skinned the camel. He went away leaving it to his two
apprentices and said, "Watch the camel's skin. Don't let it get damp."

Later, when it started to rain, the two dull men covered the skin with
all the fine carpet, which became entirely ruined. Obviously the skin
and carpet differed much in price. They put the carpet to cover the skin
out of ignorance.

So are the people at large.

Abstaining from killing refers to the fine carpet, the camel's skin,
and wealth. To let the carpet get damp when it is raining means to undermine
recklessly good merits.

The abstention from killing is the supreme motive to attain Buddhahood.
Unfortunately, people do not effectively practice it. They merely adhere
to build pagodas or temples and give alms to support monks. This is giving
up the essential and pursuing the non-essential. In other words, people
are not conscious of seeking the fundamental. Unable to go out of the
vicious cycle, they lead their lives, through the Five Ways of existence.
Therefore, the commandment of the abstention from killing should be earnestly
observed by the followers.

(43) TO GRIND A BIG STONE

Once there was a man who ground a big stone with great effort. He made
a small toy bull out of it after days and months of labor. The effort
being made was strenuous, yet the gain expected was trivial.

So are the people from all walks of life.

Grinding a stone refers to learning seriously and diligently.

To make a small toy bull applies 'to the illusive fame and the inducement
of the mutual criticism.

A scholar should endeavor himself to serious studying to get wide and
extensive knowledge. Furthermore, he has to put his learning into practice
so as to obtain some fulfillment. The goal must not be the illusive fame,
complacence and arrogance, which breed only sins and calamities.

(44) EATING HALF A PANCAKE

Once there was a man who felt hungry and longed to eat seven pancakes.
He was already full when he had eaten six pancakes and a half. He was
so sorry for having ordered seven of them that he slapped his own face
and said, "Half a pancake has filled me up. The other six are wasted.
If only I had known that, I should have ordered only half a cake."

So are the people at large.

There is actually no pleasure in life. There are only illusions, just
like the stupid man getting full illusion with half a cake.

Being ignorant, people view wealth and honor as pleasure. It is sometimes
a painful process to get them. It is also sometimes hard to keep them.
It is all the more painful when they have lost them. Therefore, they give
no pleasure to people at all times.

It is just like people taken in by clothes and food as pleasure. They
also bear illusions of the word "pleasure" when they are toiling
and moiling. All Buddhas have it that the Three Worlds1 has no peace but
great suffering. Ignorant man with wrong views still clings desperately
to illusions.

(45) THE SLAVE GUARDS THE DOOR

Once there was a man who was about to take a long trip. He gave orders
to his slave and said, "Keep a close watch over the door as well
as the donkey and the rope".

After his departure, the neighbor was playing music with drew attention
of the slave. He put the rope and the door on the ass' back and went to
the neighbor to listen to the music. The house was then ransacked by a
thief after he had left it. On his return, the master asked the alive
what had happened to his house.

The slave replied, "You told me to take care of the door, the ass
and the rope. I know nothing about the rest."

Again the master said, "The whole idea of watching the door is for
you to watch the house. Now that the house has been robbed, what's the
use in having the door?"

Stupid men in the world cling to birth and death (or transmigration)
by their lust for life like the slave to the door.

Buddha preaches to control the six sense organs (the door) without attaching
to the six objective fields. In addition, he advises to keep watch on
human folly (the ass) as well as all desires (the rope). However, most
monks do not follow the teachings of Buddhism seeking enviously material
offerings from others. Even when practicing meditation, they give an appearance
to being pure and clean. But their minds are still unsettled by their
attachment to the five desires and deluded by sight, sound, smell, taste
etc. When ignorance takes over the mind and attachment to desires comes
into being, all lost will be the right thought, the enlightened mind and
the monastic grades (Just as the robbed house of the told story).

(46) TO STEAL THE YAK

Once there was a village whose people jointly participated in stealing
a yak for food. The man who lost the yak followed their trail to the village.
He called out to the villagers, "Do you all live in this village?"

The villagers replied, "We live in no village."

Again the man asked, "There is a pond in your village. Have you
eaten the yak together on the side of the pond?"

Replied the people: "We know of no pond."

Again he asked, "Is there any tree near the pond?"

They answered, "We know of no tree."

Again he asked, "Were you on the east side of your village when
you stole my yak?"

They answered, "We know of no east direction."

Again he asked, "Wasn't it at noon when you stole my yak?"

They answered, "We know of no noon time."

Again he asked, "Although it is possibly true of your first three
answers, how can you say there is no direction and no time in all the
world. Now I know you are lying. So I don't believe you at all. Sure enough,
you have stolen my yak. Haven't you?"

Thereupon, the stealer could not but admit it.

So are those who break commandments. People who hide their sins are reluctant
to disclose them. They will, however, go to hell after their death. Since
Devas and good gods possess supernatural eyes, people should not even
try to deceive them just like the villagers should not refuse to admit
stealing a yak for food

(47) THE POOR MAN CROWS LIKE
A DUCK

It happened once that a foreign country was celebrating its Religious
Day for festivities. All women wore blue lotus flowers as ornament in
their hair.

To her husband, a woman said, "If you can get blue lotus flowers
for me, I shall remain as your wife. Otherwise. I'll walk out on you."

Her husband was capable of crowing like a duck. He then entered the king's
pond to steal blue lotus flowers. He crowed when he was caught by the
palace guard. The guard asked: "Who are you?"

With a slip of the tongue, the poor man replied: "I'm a duck."

He was arrested and was taken to the king. On the way, he crowed again.
Thereupon, the guard said, "You didn't crow properly before, what's
the use of doing so now?"

So are the stupid in the world.

One who in his lifetime does all kinds of evil deeds to the others, is
reluctant to repent and subdue his mind. Only at the time of his demise,
he says, "From now on, I shall start to do good deeds."

The guard will nevertheless send him to the King of Hell. It is too late
for him to want to do good deeds, just as the stupid man who could crow
like duck.

(48) THE FOX WAS HIT BY A SNAP
TO TWIG

Once a fox who stood under a tree was hit by a twig fallen on his back.
He then closed his eyes for he did not like to see the tree. Soon after,
he went to an open space. He would not return even when night fell.

Later, however, when he saw the branches and the leaves of a big tree
wavering up and down in the wind, he said to himself, "The tree must
be calling me." He then went back under the tree where he had got
hit earlier.

So is a stupid disciple.

In his attempt of becoming a monk, he has chances to approach a tutor
from who he runs away at his first slight rebuke. Afterwards, he gets
into a lot of trouble when he meets friends who have adverse influence
over him. Only then does he begin to think of returning to his tutor.
It is indeed stupid of him to go and come like that.

(49) BOYS' ARGUMENT ON THE
SUBJECT OF HAIR

There were once two boys who dived in a river where they found at its
bottom a bundle of feathers. One said that it was the beard of some spirit,
whereas the other said it was the bear's hair. They argued without a right
answer. A supernatural being nearby was then approached by the two and
was asked to settle the argument. He put rice and sesame seeds into his
mouth and chewed for a while, then he spat them into his hand and said,
"What I have got here seems to me a peacock's excrement."

It is known his answer was beyond the question, which was put to him.
So are the stupid in the world.

During the time of preaching, those who facetiously discuss the teachings
of Buddhism do not give the answer to the right doctrine, just like the
supernatural being not answering the question. People from all walks of
life are made a laughing stock. So is the frivolous and empty gossip.

(50) TO CURE A HUNCHBACK

Once there was a man who suddenly became a hunchback. He went to a physician
who treated him first with ointment smeared on his back, and who then
squeezed the hunchback between two pieces of woodblock. The doctor pressed
the woodblock so hard that the hunchback's eyes popped out.

So are the stupid in the world.

In seeking for wealth, people try their hands in every possible trade.
What they don't realize is that even if they commit crimes most furtively,
they will make more injuries than profits, just like the doctor made the
hunchback's eyes popped. They will one day go to Hell.

(51) A MAID AND HER FIVE MASTERS

Once there were five men who together bought a maid to whom one of them
said, "Get my clothes washed."

Another man also told her to do the same thing. But the maid said he
would wash for whoever gave her clothes first. Angrily the second man
said, "Since I have bought you with others, how can you wash only
for the first one who gave the elder?"

Then he beat her ten strokes with a whip. Thus she was whipped as much
by each of the five masters.

So are the five components of human bodies, which are the sources of
annoyances. They whip the sentient beings with birth giving, old age,
sickness, death and numerous other miseries.

(52) THE MUSICIAN

Once a musician played in the presence of the king who had promised him
a thousand coins. Later, he asked the king for the money. The king refused
to give it to him and said, "The music you played doesn't make me
merry for a long time. Therefore, the money that I intent to give you
is also to please you just for a while."

So is the wordy retribution.

While there is little pleasure in human lives and in Heaven, there is
also little substance in them. Owing to impermanence and destruction,
the pleasure does not last for long just like the music giving only a
transient rejoicing.

(53) THE MASTER'S ACHING LEGS

Once a master told two of his disciples to take care of his aching legs.
Each one had to massage continuously each of his two legs. The two disciples
bear strong dislike of each other. When one left for a break, the other
broke with a stone the leg that the first one had massaged out of spite.
The first one, angry at his doings, broke the other leg that the second
one had massaged.

So are the Buddhist disciples. The scholars of Mahayana criticize the
Hinayana, and vice-versa. Therefore, these two schools' scriptures of
the Great Saint, run the risk to be both vanishing.

(54) THE SNAKE'S ARGUMENT

Once there was a snake whose tail told its head, "I should lead
the way."

And the head said, "I'm used to leading, why do you want to change
positions so suddenly?"

When the head led the way, the tail knotted himself around a tree and
was unwilling to move. And when the tail led, the snake fell into a burning
pit and was burnt to its death.

This is also true with teachers and disciples.

The disciples have a fancy that the young should lead the way, as they
think teachers are too old to lead. Due to their youthful immaturity,
they often break commandments without being aware of it. They end up dragging
each other down to Hell.

(55) TO BE A KING'S BARBER

Once upon a time, a king's personal attendant risked his life to save
the king at the battlefield. The king was so grateful that he gave his
lifesaver whatever he wanted. The king asked, "What do you want?
Your wishes shall be granted."

The man replied, "Allow me to shave you when you need a shave."

The king said, "If that is what you wish to do, I'll grant it to
you."

Such a stupid man is laughed at by the people at large. It would be so
much better for the barber to ask for half a country or to become prime
minister or minister of State rather than to practice the mean profession.
Only a stupid man would do so.

To attain Buddhadhood, all Buddhas cultivate themselves with hardship
during a long and painful period of time. What people do not realize is
that Buddha Sakyamuni's bequeathed teachings are scarce to be heard and
our human bodies are hard to be acquired as well. It is like a blind turtle's
trouble in finding a log hole floating at the surface of the water.

Fortunately enough, once these two difficulties are overcome, people
are self-complacent with their shallow mind and few commandments are observed
without any ambition of ever attaining Nirvana, the perfect Enlightenment.
They find themselves contented with no further improvement and instead
end up doing evil deeds.

(56) TO ASK NOTHING

Once upon a time, two men walking together saw another fellow trying
in vain to pull a chariot loaded with sesame out of a hole on the road.

To the two men, the fellow said, "Please give me a hand."

The two men replied, "What are our, rewards?"

The fellow said, "Nothing."

In spite of the answer, the two men helped to get the chariot out of
the hole. They demanded, "Now give us something."

The fellow replied, "I'll give you nothing!"

Again the men said, "Give us "Nothing" then!"

Half smiling, one of them said, "He doesn't want to give us anything.
No use getting upset."

The other one replied, "He said he'd give us 'nothing'. We'll settle
for that 'nothing'."

When one of them says 'nothing', that 'nothing' is composed of two words,
which constitute an unreal name. If the vulgar and common people cling
to 'nothing', they will be born is Space World of Formlessness.

Whereas the other says 'nothing' to signify no form, no vows and no Karma.

(57) TREADING ON THE ELLDERS
MOUTH

Once upon a time there was an extremely wealthy elder whose attendants
were eager to please him by paying him all due deference. When he spat,
the attendants rubbed it with their feet. Among them J was this stupid
man who said to himself, "When he spits on the ground, others rub
it with their feet, Now I'm going to be the first one to render the service
of rubbing it when he spits next time."

So when the Elder was about to cough and spit out, the man kicked up
his foot and trod on the elder's mouth. He broke the old man's lips and
teeth. To the stupid man, the elderly man said, "What did you do
that for?"

The stupid man replied, "Though I would like to serve you, I have
always fallen behind others. So I thought by kicking up my foot when you
were about to spit out from your mouth, I would be the first to please
you."

People have to pick the right time to do the right thing. They will get
into trouble otherwise, even using every possible means to achieve a purpose.
Therefore, they should know when it is right or wrong time.

(58) THE TWO BROTHERS AND THEIR
INHERITANCE

Once upon a time, there was a Ksatriya of the Makara Kingdom who fell
seriously ill, and was aware of the fatal hour. To his two sons he ordered,
"After my death, divide between the two of you evenly my effects
and money."

After his death, the two sons followed their father's will. But the elder
brother complained against the younger of unfairness in their shares.
An old man nearby said, "Let me teach you how to divide equally your
father's fortune."

"How!" they asked.

The old man replied, "Cut all the valuable garments into two parts.
Then break everything else into two equal parts, such as tray, bottle,
bowl, dish, money and so forth."

People laughed at his suggestion. Such folly is just like those heretics
who use one-sided method of separate answer to all questions.

There are four ways to answer questions as follows:

Affirmative answer.
For instance: All human beings are mortal

Separate answer
For instance: The dead will be reborn.
This should be answered separately. Those who have no desires at all
will not be reborn. Those who have desires will be reborn.

Reversal question and answer.
For example, someone asks: Are all human beings supreme ones?"
This can be questioned reversely as follows: "Are you referring
to the Three Paths of Transmigration or to the host of Devas?
If you are referring to the former, I should say human beings are supreme.
If the latter, I should say human beings are not equals to Devas.

No answers to questions
If you ask the fourteen difficult questions, such as whether the world
has limit or whether human beings have any beginnings or ends.

Pretending to be wise, the ignorant heretics divide the four ways of
answering questions by only using the separate answer, just like the stupid
man giving advice to the two sons to divide all effects and money into
two parts.

(59) WATCHING URN MAKING

Once two men went to a potter's field where they watched a tread-wheel
making earns. They were delighted at seeing the work without satiety.
One then left for the great assembly where he was well received with excellent
food and got precious teachings as well. The other stayed on at the plant
and said, "I'll get a good look at how urns are made."

Thus he stayed till the sun set without realizing how hungry he really
was or how chilly it had gotten.

So are the stupid who engage themselves in their housework without being
aware that all things are subject to change.

People are inclined to be very fickle nowadays.

Apparition of Buddhas and Great Dragons thunders all over the world.

The rain of Buddhist teachings fertilizes all beings, except for those
who stick to trifles.

Being unconscious of death that could come any time, people miss the
opportunity to attend to Buddhist assemblies.

They are unable to be inspired by the precious teachings as a treasure
and always remain in misery.

Those who are abandoning the right doctrine and looking endlessly at
the trifles of urn making lose the benefit of learning and will never
get deliverance.

(60) SEEING THE SHADOW OF GOLD
AT THE BOTTOM OF A POND

Once upon a time, there was a man who went to a large pond where he thought
he had seen the shadow of pure gold at the bottom of water. He gave a
cry of joy and jumped into the water to feel about the mud and search
for it.

A few moments later, he began to feel very tired. He could not find any
gold and he then got out of the pond. But as soon as he was out of the
water that became clear in no time, the golden shadow turned up again.
Then he dived once again to do more searching. Still he found nothing.
At this point, his father came looking for him. Seeing the state he was
in, his father asked, "What have you been doing to get so tired?"

The son replied, "There is pure gold under water. I searched for
it, but could find nothing."

The father could also see the shadow of pure gold in the water. But he
soon realized that it was in the trees. So he knew what was in the water
was mere reflection. Then he told his son that it was held by the bird's
beak and brought it in the trees. Following his father's instructions,
the son immediately got the gold from the trees.

So are the ignorant in the world. They hold on to tile thought of ego
in the shadow of non-ego, just like the stupid man looking desperately
for the gold without success.

(61) BRAHMA'S DISCIPLE CAN
CREATE ALL THINGS

Brahmans say that the Great Brahma was both father of the world and creator
of all things. One of the Great Brahma's disciples once said he also had
the power to create things. He was too stupid to be wise.

To the great Brahma, he said, "I can create everything."

The Great Brahrna replied, "Don't talk like that. You can't. Since
you don't listen to me, I wonder how you do it."

After seeing what his disciple had creased, the Great Brahma said, "The
man's head that you have made is too big and the neck too thin. The hands
are too long and the arms too bony. The feet are too small and the legs
too fat. It looks like a Pisacah devil."

Through the Great Brahma's words, we should realize that human beings
are created by their own deeds resulting from Karma and not by the power
of the Great Brahma.

Buddha's preaching is not ambiguous. As they preach the Eightfold Noble
Path, they cling neither to the view of total annihilation nor that of
permanence. On the contrary, the heretics do cling to the view of annihilation
and permanence. They cheat the world by performing ceremonies and creating
images. What they preach really is not Buddhism.

(62) THE PATIENT EATS THE PHEASANT
MEAT

Once upon a time, there was a man who was seriously ill. A skillful physician
prescribed that he could be cured by eating some pheasant meat. After
he finished eating one, the patient did not eat it again. Afterwards,
the doctor came to him and asked, "How do you feel now?"

The patient replied, "You have told me to eat some pheasants. Now
that I have eaten it, I dare not eat it again."

The physician said, "But why not? How can you expect to be cured
with only one pheasant?"

This is also true with all the heretics. They should understand what
the mind means on hearing such wise and skillful doctors as Buddha's and
Bodhisattva's preaching. However, they cling to the view of permanence
thinking that there is only one mind from the past, present through future,
which does not undergo any change. This is just like the patient eating
only one pheasant that his illness of ignorance and worries cannot be
cured.

All Omniscient Buddhas teach the heretics to abandon their prejudiced
view of permanence. For all phenomena are subject to change at the time
of thought. How can the mind remain unchanged! This is just like the physician's
telling the patient to eat more pheasants.

So is Sakyamuni Buddha's preaching to all men to understand all his teachings.
Sakyamuni has it that things which can be ruined or destroyed are called
impenitence.

Things which can be lasted are called continuity.

Once the context is understood, people will eradicate the wrong view
of permanence.

(63) AN ACTOR WEARING A DEMON'S
GARMENT

Once upon a time, there was a troupe of actors from Cadhara Kingdom,
rambling in different parts of the country giving performances due to
a famine. They passed the Pala New Mountain where evil demons and men-eater
Raksas had been found. The troupe had to lodge in the mountain where it
was windy and cold. They slept with the fire on. One of them who were
chilly wore Raksa demon's costume and sat near the fire when another actor
awoke and saw him. He ran away without looking closely at him. In general
panic, the whole troupe got up and ran away. The one who wore the Raksa
garment, not realizing what was happening, followed them.

Seeing he was behind them, all the actors got more frightened to do them
harm. They crossed rivers and mountains, and jumped into ditches and gullies.
All got wounded in addition to the great fear they suffered. They did
not realize that he was not a demon until daybreak. So are all the common
people. Those who happen to be in the midst of the misfortune of famine,
do not spare themselves trouble to go far away to seek for the sublime
teaching of the Four Transcendental Realities of Nirvana, namely eternity,
bliss, personality and purity. However, they cling to their egos which
are nothing more than five components of a human being. Because of this,
they are flowing back again and again through transmigration. Pursued
by temptation, they are out of sorts in falling into the ditch of the
Three Evil Paths. Only when the night of transmigration is ended, does
the wisdom appear once again. Also only at this moment can one perceive
the five components of a human being have no real ego.

(64) AN EVIL DEMON IN THE OLD
HOUSE

Once upon a time, there was an old house where the rumors had it that
an evil demon often appeared. People were so frightened that no one would
dare to be in it. A man claiming himself dauntless said: "I would
like to spend a night in this house." So he did.

Upon hearing from the bystander that the house was frequently haunted
by an evil demon, another man also wanted to do the same proving himself
to be more intrepid than the first one. He tried to enter by pushing the
door.

The one who had got into the house first thought the second one to be
the demon and blocked the door to his entrance. The second, unable to
open the door, thought the first one to be the demon. They first argued
and then began to fight until dawn. When finally coming face to face,
they realized that they were both mistaken.

So are the people at large.

Our ego is subject to the law of impermanence and cause-effect, and therefore
there is no mastering power in our body. Considering and analyzing all
in all, one can only ask who the ego is. However, human beings indulge
in ill-natured gossip everywhere, and fight each other like those men
in this told story.

(65) FIVE HUNDRED HAPPY PILLS

Once upon a time, there was a woman who led a promiscuous life. She hated
her husband when she was burning with lascivious desires. However, there
was no opportunity for her to carry out any of her schemes to kill him.
It so happened that her husband was sent on an official mission to a neighboring
state, the woman secretly prepared some poisonous pills. To the husband
she said with a faked tenderness, "Now that you have been sent far
away on this official mission, I have prepared for you five hundred pills
both as food supplies and as something to cheer you up. You will take
them when you are hungry, when you reach the border."

The husband did not take them when he crossed the frontier. It was dark
then and he decided to rest in the forest. Afraid of wild animals, he
climbed up a tree to spend the night. He left his pills under the tree.

On that same night, a group of five hundred thieves stopped at the same
spot with five hundred horses and precious things stolen from their king.
They were all hungry and thirsty from their narrow escape. Finding those
pills under the tree, the thieves took them and, on account of the strong
poisonous effect, died one after another in no time.

At daybreak, the man hiding in the tree saw the dead thieves. Then he
deceitfully made as if he slew and shot the corpses with swords and arrows.
Afterward, he got all the horses as well as the stolen goods together
and rode towards the foreign country.

Meanwhile, the king was on his way with his guards trying to apprehend
the thieves. They carne across the man and asked, "Who are you? Where
did you get these horses?"

The man replied, "I have come on a special mission. On the way,
1 encountered this band of thieves. I fought them and killed them all.
Their corpses are under a tree over there. That's how 1 got these horses
and precious things. If your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can inspect
the casualties on the spot where we fought."

Immediately, the king sent his guards to inspect the spot. They found
out what he had said was true. The king was overwhelmed with admiration
for his unusual bravery. Later, when the man was sent back to his own
country, the king bestowed him both a knighthood and treasures as well
as a piece of land.

The king's old officials said with jealousy, "Why does your Majesty
bestow him such rewards to a but stranger? Besides, the grant of his title
of honors goes above the old officials."

Hearing those words the stranger said, "Who is intrepid enough to
challenge me? Let's have a duel."

The old officials were startled and none would venture to accept the
challenge. At the time, there was a ferocious lion in the wilderness of
the country, which often disturbed the royal passages. The lion killed
many travelers. The old officials conferred on the matter.

"The way this stranger brags so much about his fighting spirit,
it will be wonderful if he is made to kill the lion for the sake of the
country."

They then asked the king to give him a sword and spear, and sent him
off to kill the lion. The lion attacked him with a roar as soon as it
saw him. In great fear, the man climbed up the tree. The lion lifted its
head towards him and roared. The man got so frightened that he dropped
his sword right into the lion's mouth. The king of the forest died instantaneously.

The stranger, delirious with happiness over his new conquest, came to
report the news to the king who, in turn, multiplied his rewards. Furthermore,
he got respect and praises from the whole court as well as the country.

In view of this story:

The pills are referred to as an unclean almsgiving;

The king's guards are referred to as good friends;

The arrival at a foreign country is referred to as all Devas;

Killing the band of thieves is referred to as obtaining the Sotapanna's
degree resolving to cut the Five Desires together with other worries;

Meeting the king is referred to as coming across the Sage and Saint;

Other officials jealousy is referred to as the heretics who utter
slander against the wise by saying there is no way that the wise are
capable to cut off the Five Desires and other worries;

The stranger's bragging is referred to as the heretics who can not
resist him;

Killing the lion is referred to as destroying all evil demons and
thus obtaining the title of honors for the unattached way of Nirvana;

The man's fear is referred to as the weak bringing the strong into
Subjection.

People should earnestly do almsgiving out of kindness or compassion.
They would gain so much more in reward considering how the man in this
story gained out of an ill almsgiving, which later on turned into a good
one, thanks to the good friends he met.

(66) READING THE SAILING METHODS

Once upon a time, there was a young man from a respectable family who
went to the sea with some merchants to look for pearls. He had read all
about sailing such as to know how to steer the boat, how to take the right
direction and how to hold in good position when they had to face whirlpools,
countercurrents, or rocks during the, journey.

To everybody aboard, he said, "I know all about sailing."

Everyone believed him. It was not long before the captain of the boat
fell ill and died soon after. He then took charge of the boat. When they
came to whirlpools and rapid currents, he recited what he had read without
knowing how to put those instructions into practice. The boat that was
strolling and going round could not advance to the pearls place. Then
they all drowned.

So are the common people. They have little knowledge of quiet sitting,
of counting the breathings and of contemplating on the uncleanness of
human body for the practice of meditation. Although they can read the
scriptures, they do not grasp the meaning. In fact, they know really nothing
about all the methods of meditation. They preach the wrong ways, pretending
to be well acquainted with the right ways. Bewildered and diffident, the
followers turn the characteristics of things upside down, getting nothing
in return over the whole year or a number of years. They are just like
those who drowned at sea by the stupid man in this story.

(67) A BET OVER A CAKE

Once upon a time, there were a man and his wife who shared three cakes.
On the third, they made a bet, "whoever talks first loses his share
of the cake." After this, they stopped talking.

In no time, a thief forced his way into the house to rob valuable things.
The couple saw that everything fell into the thief's hand without uttering
a sound, due to the bet they had made previously Seeing that they said
nothing, the thief started to attack the wife in the presence of her husband
who still would not utter a word. Then she shouted to her husband, "How
stupid you are! You wouldn't shout only because of a cake."

Clapping his hand in joy, the husband said, "Oh! My girl. I'll get
the cake. I won't give you any of it."

Upon hearing the story, everyone nearby laughed at them.

So are the common people.

For a little fame and gain, people deceptively appear to be quiet and
silent. When they are disturbed with their false worries and all other
evil thoughts, they are not afraid of losing their good teachings and
falling into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration. They do not try to
seek to leave this world. When they have their five desires fulfilled,
they do not think of the ensuing suffering. Therefore, they are in no
way different from that stupid husband.

(68) BEARING A GRUDGE AGAINST
ONE ANOTHER

Once upon a time, there was an unhappy man who bore grudges against another
man. He was asked: "Why are you so unhappy?"

He replied: "Somebody speaks ill of me. I don't know how to do it.
That's why I'm so upset."

He was told, "Only with the Vetala incantation can you hurt him.
However, there will be a drawback. That is to say, instead of your hurting
him, you will suffer from your boom rang."

Upon hearing these words, he cheered up and said, "Please show me
the way. Even though I'll hurt myself, I still would like to hurt him."

So are the people at large.

Out of revenge, people seek the Vatala incantation to hurt others without
realizing that to feel anger and hatred is to get hurt themselves and
fall into the Three Evil Paths of hells, beasts and hungry ghosts. They
are in no way different from the stupid man in this story.

(69) THE MAN EATS QUICKLY

Once upon a time, there was a man who went from North India to the South
where he lived for a long time, got married and settled down. One day
the wife prepared some food. The husband ate it in one mouthful while
it was piping hot. She asked in shock, "There is no one here trying
to take the food away from you. What made you eat so fast?"

The husband said, "That's a great secret that I have been keeping
from you."

Upon hearing these words, the wife insisted on knowing the secret, thinking
there might have some special reason for it. After a pause, the husband
replied, "My ancestors made it a rule to eat quickly, I'm doing it
nothing more than an act of observing the tradition. This is the reason
of my eating in a hurry.

The same also holds true with the common people. People who are doing
evil things have no sense of shame, because they do not know what is right
or how to distinguish truth from falsehood. They say they observe the
tradition. They accept and follow it to death, just like that stupid man
making it a rule to eat quickly.

(70) TO TASTE APPLES

Once upon a time, there was an elderly man who sent a servant to buy
him some apples. He gave him orders as follows, "You'll buy some
good and sweet apples for me."

The servant then went on an errand with money. The owner of the apple
orchard said to him, "All my apples are good and sweet: There is
not a single bad one. You'll know it when you taste one."

The servant said, "I'll buy some after I taste every single one
of them. How do I know about the rest. If I only taste one?"

After tasting them one by one, he bought the apples. The master did not
like the sight of all these half-eaten apples and he threw them all out.

This is also held to be true with the people at large.

Seeing that all those who keep almsgiving commandment, can acquire great
wealth and happiness, physically at ease and mentally stable. People still
remark in disbelief, "We'll believe it if we can get them for ourselves."

To see for yourself in noble and base, rich and poor of this World, you
would attribute those people to retribution of the previous lives. But
they hardly know to deduce the Law of Cause and Effect, which they are
reluctant to draw a general rule from particular instances. It is to be
regretted for their disbelief. For once death approaches them, they have
to leave their worldly possessions just like the elderly man throwing
out all the half-eaten apples.

(71) THE MAN WHO TURNED BLIND

Once upon a time, there was a man who had two wives. Whenever he was
with one of them, the other got very angry. Faced with such a dilemma,
he decided one night to lie flat on the back between the two. It happened
that it was raining so heavily that their house began to have a leak.
Water and mud fell into his eyes, but he dared not get up and run away,
due to the decision he had taken before. Finally he became completely
blind.

This is also held to be true with the common people of the world.

By keeping bad company and doing unlawful deeds, people create Karmas
and fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration. Not only will they
remain in the round of existences forever, but also lose their eyes of
wisdom, just like the stupid man who turned blind.

(72) AN OPERATION ON THE MOUTH

Once upon a time, there was a man who went to his wife's home where he
saw people removing the husk from rice. He stole some rice and hid it
in his mouth. When the wife came to talk to him, he could not answer her
with his mouth full. He disliked to leave it lest he would put her to
shame. So he stood speechless. That aroused her curiosity all the more.

Looking at him and feeling him with her hands, she found his mouth swollen.
Thereupon she said to her father, "On his way over, my husband suddenly
got a swollen mouth and is unable to speak."

Immediately her father sent for a doctor who said, "Very serious
is your illness. It will be cured by an operation."

Then an operation on his mouth was done and his act of theft was exposed.

This is also held to be true with the people at large.

In doing evil deeds to break the pure commandments and hiding sins, people
descend to the Three Evil Ways of hells, beats and hungry ghosts. This
is just like the stupid man, being reluctant to let out rice, on account
of a trifling shame matter, and undergoing an operation on his mouth to
reveal his sins.

(73) THE HORSE WAS DEAD

Once upon a time, there was a man who rode on a black horse to a battle.
Out of fear, he was incapable to combat. He daubed his face and eyes with
blood and dirt. Pretending to be dead, he laid down in the midst of corpses.
The horse on which he had rode was taken away. After the battle was through,
he went home bringing with him the cut-off tail of a white horse that
belonged to another soldier. Back at home, he was asked, "Where is
your old horse?"

The man replied, "My horse is dead. I have brought back with me
its tail."

People said, "But your old horse was black. How did its tail turn
white?"

Speechless, the man was laughed at.

So are the people at large. Despite of their pretending to be good, pious,
compassionate and restraining themselves to eat meat and drink wine, people
indulge themselves in killing and injuring other sentient beings and thus
raising to pain and cruelty. Furthermore, they boast that they do good
deeds, but there is nothing they will not do to commit sins, just like
the stupid man and his horse.

(74) BECOMING A COMMON MONK

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom which had a law that all Brahmans
in the country should keep their bodies clean and those who do not would
be subject to all kinds of hard works.

There was a Brahman who was always holding an empty pot pretending that
he was a clean man. When someone poured water info his pot, he spilled
it and said in these words, "I don't want to wash myself. Let the
king do it himself. I have been lying to shun hard labor, because of the
king's law."

This is also held to be true with the common monks.

A monk, who has shaved his head and worn dyed gannets, could break commandments
while pretending to be following them outwardly. Thus he wants to receive
gain and offerings and avoids labor work, superficially he looks like
a monk, but in reality, he cheats, just like the Brahman holding an empty
pot and keeping up appearances.

(75) THE CAME AND THE JAR ARE
BOTH LOST

Once upon a time, there was a man who had a jar used to hold grain. A
camel put its head into it to eat the grain, but it could not get its
head out. The man became angry and worried. An old man came up to him
and said, "Don't be upset. I'll tell you how to get him out. It'll
get its head out in no time if you listen to me. You should cut off its
head and he'll be out."

The man followed his words. He killed the camel and also broke the jar.
Such an idiot was jeered by the people at large.

This is also held to be true with the common stupid men. Those who hope
for Enlightened minds through the Three Vehicles, must keep commandments
and avoid doing evil deeds. However, they indulge themselves in the Five
Desires, which will destroy them. Not only do they end up breaking commandments,
but also giving up the Three Vehicles. In addition, they follow their
own inclination and yield to their whims at the same time. There is nothing
evil they will not do. Thus they abandon both the Three Vehicles and the
pure commandments like that stupid man losing both the camel and the jar.

(76) THE FARMER LONGED FOR
THE PRINCESS

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who went to the city and saw the
princess who was very graceful. He found she was quite a rare beauty.
Afterwards he thought of nothing else but the princess day and night.
Since he could not find a way to have a talk with liar, he became yellow
and fell very ill from his love-sickness. His parents and relatives asked
him what had happened to him. He replied, "Yesterday I saw the graceful
princess with whom I would like to get acquainted. But I've been unable
to think of a way. This is why I have fallen ill. I'll die soon!"

The parents and relatives said, "We'll find a way. Don't be so upset."

Two days later, they said to him, "We have found away. Unfortunately,
she didn't like it at all."

Upon hearing these words the farmer got very happy and said with a big
smile to other people that she would come to him if he sent for her.

This is also held to be true with the stupid men of the world.

A stupid man knows of no seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
He sows the land with seeds in winter hoping that they will grow. He gains
nothing except wasting his energy in vain. All are lost as buds, stalks
branches and leaves.

Getting a little merit, the stupid of the world are satisfied with what
they think are the attainment of Enlightenment, like the farmer who longed
for the princess.

(77) TO MILK A DONKEY

Once upon a time, there was a group of frontiersmen who had never seen
a monkey before. Thus they could not identify it. They were told that
its milk was delicious. It happened that they found a male donkey and
they tried to milk it. They began their wrangling about apprehending it.

One seized its head: another, its ears; the third, its tail; the fourth,
its feet; and finally the fifth, its penis. All wanted to be the first
to drink its milk. The one who grasped the donkey's penis called out that
he could get milk there from. Then he began to extract. Finally, this
group of people felt tired and bored, for they could not get what they
had wanted. They got nothing in return, despite of their effort. They
were all laughed at by the people at large.

This is also held to be true with the common heretics.

The heretics who learn their religious faith from some inadequate sources,
might lead to illusions giving rise to all kinds of heterodox views such
as to go naked, to fast, to jump into precipice or go through fire. With
all these kinds of heterodox views, they fall to the evil paths, like
those stupid men seeking in vain for milk from a male donkey.

(78) THE SON'S TRIPS

Once upon a time, there was a man who told his son one night, "Tomorrow
I'll go with you to another tribe for some errands."

The son hastened to go there by himself at dawn without telling his father.
On his arrival, he was so tired that he did nothing. Furthermore, he could
not find food. He got very hungry and thirsty. After he came back, his
father scolded him and said, "You are very stupid indeed. Why didn't
you wait for me? You ran back and forth for nothing, only to suffer in
vain."

He was laughed at by the people at large.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

Those who have the opportunity to become monks and who shave off their
mustache and have their hair cut, and who wear the monk's three robes,
do not ask for guidance to obtain Nirvana from an imminent teacher. They
will in the end, lose not only the meditation training, but also the merits
of monastic grades. Finally, they will lose altogether the supreme results
from the practices of monks, under the cloak of whom they virtually gain
nothing. This is just like that stupid man casting his trip in vain, only
to get tired and weary.

(79) CARRYING CHAIRS FOR THE
KING

Once upon a time, there was a king who wished to go to the garden named
"Free From Care" for a good time. He ordered one of his ministers,
"You'll drag a lounge chair to that garden for me to sit and take
rest on."

The minister considered it a demeaning job for a minister to drag a chair.
So he refused to do it and replied, "I would rather carry it on my
back with a pole than dragging it."

Then the king put thirty-six chairs on his back and asked him to carry
them to the garden. Such a stupid man was laughed by the people at large.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

Seeing hair fallen from a woman's head on the ground, people are reluctant
to pick it up, in the name of keeping the commandments. However once disturbed
by ignorance and desire, they do not mind picking up thirty-six unclean
things at a time such as hair, capillary, nail, tooth, excrement, urine
etc, without feeling shameful and even keep them as long as they live.
This is just like that stupid man bearing chairs on his back.

(80) TO TAKE AN ENEMA

Once upon a time, there was a man who had a pain in his rear. The doctor
said it would be healed by giving an enema. He immediately went to fetch
the instruments for that purpose. The patient took the drug before the
physician came back. His belly became inflated beyond description. After
his return, the doctor wondered what had happened to the patient and asked
him the cause of it. To the physician, he replied, "I've just taken
the drug for enema. That's why I'm dying."

After hearing these words, the doctor scolded him in following words,
"You are the most stupid man I've ever met. You are acting against
all senses."

Then he gave him other drugs. The patient vomited and was cured. Such
a stupid man was laughed at by the people at large.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

The contemplation in meditation comprises many methods. Those who practice
meditating on the uncleanness of the human bodies are not appropriate
to practice on the counting of the breathings, whereas those who practice
the counting of the breathings should not practice the meditating on the
six parts of a human body. To turn it upside down without following a
fundamental principle will cause life itself. Those who bluntly practice
the contemplation in meditation without consulting a good master are just
like that stupid man taking the wrong thing for his illness.

(81) GETTING BITTEN BY A BEAR

Once upon a time, there were a man and his son traveling together. The
son got into the woods and was bitten by a bear. Scratches were all over
his body. Being in a difficult situation, he fled to his father. Seeing
his son's wounds, the father was astonished and asked, "How did you
get wounded?"

The son replied, "There was a long-haired monster that bit me."

The father grasped bows and arrows and went to the woods where he saw
a longhaired supernatural being. When he was about to shoot at him, a
bystander said, "Why do you want to shoot at this, since he is innocent?
You should punish the guilty."

This is also held to be true with the stupid of the world.

People offended by an immoral monk in his religious robe, are apt to
do the worst harm to all good and virtuous monks. This is just like the
father wanting to be revenged on the supernatural man for his son's bites
by a bear.

(82) THE CULTIVATION OF THE
LAND

Once upon a time, there was a peasant who went to another farmer's property
to examine his wheat plants. He asked the owner, "How do you make
the wheat grow so well?"

The owner replied, "First, you have to flatten the field. Then you
pour some liquid manure. That's why it has turned out so nicely."

The peasant then did what the other farmer had told him. He poured liquid
manure to blend with the soil and scattered seed in land. Treading the
field with his feet, he was afraid that the land would become too hard
to be fruitful.

He said to himself, "I should sow sitting on a bed carried by others.
That'll do."

He then ordered each of the four men to hold a leg of the bed to scatter
seed in land which became all the harder. Initially he was afraid that
his own two feet might be too heavy for the land. Then he added still
eight of others to do the job. He was laughed at by others.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

To cultivate the field of commandments and wait the good yield of shoots,
people, should consult a master to practice the Buddhist teachings, however,
they break the commandments and do evil deeds. Thus the shoots of commandments
do not grow, just like the peasant who was afraid of his won two feet
and added still eight of others.

(83) A FEMALE MONKEY

Once upon a time, a female monkey was beaten by a full-grown person.
The animal had no other alternative than gave vent to its anger later
on a small boy.

This is also held to be true with the common stupid men.

One who is offended by another person takes out his anger sometimes on
a third person. Human affairs are always in a state of transition without
discontinuity. For things born in the past are bygone. What come after
are different things. Thus the one wrongfully gets into a temper only
gets deeper and deeper into hatred.

This is just like the monkey that has been beaten by a grown person vents
its anger on a small boy.

(84) DOGS WERE BEATEN WHEN
THE LUNAR ECLIPSE HAPPENED

Once upon a time, there was a king of Asuras who covered the moon with
his hands when he thought it too bright. However, the stupid men laid
the blame on innocent dogs, which were sometimes unjustly beaten.

This is also held to be true with the people at large. They often suffer
from the desires, anger and ignorance. But they want to destroy them by
sleeping on thorns and their bodies are burning with the five pains just
like the dogs were beaten when the lunar eclipse happened.

(85) THE WOMAN WHO HAD SORE
EYES

Once upon a time, there was a woman who had a bad case of sore eyes.
Another woman told her, "Where there are eyes, there are some times
pains. Although my eyes do not ache now, I want to gouge them out so that
they will not ache later."

A bystander said, "Though it's true that when you have your eyes,
they may sometimes ache to disturb you, yet when you don't have them,
you'll be sure to suffer for lifetime."

This is also held to be true with the common stupid men. People have
heard that wealth and fame are the sources of decadence. They are afraid
of retribution in the hereafter for not doing almsgiving in their present
lives. The more wealth they have, the more troubles they sometimes suffer
afterwards. It is said that if you do almsgiving, you may be happy, or
you may be not. But if you don't do it, you will surely be the most unhappy
man.

This is just like that woman who could not bear the thought of having
sore eyes, wanted to gouge them out to suffer forever.

(86) THE FATHER AND HIS SON'S
EARRINGS

Once upon a time, there were a man and his son taking a business trip
together. On their way, they came across robbers trying to rob the valuable
things off them. The son had a pair of pure gold earrings on. When the
father saw the robbers approaching, he tried to pull the rings off to
hide them. As he did not succeed in doing that in a hurry, he cut his
son's head off. When the robbers went away, he tried to put the son's
head back on where it had been. No success came out of it.

Such a stupid was laughed at by the people at large.

For fame and gain, people argue with a joking expression on the following
subjects:
(1) There is the present life and the hereafter and there is not.
(2) There is the intermediate existence between death and reincarnation
and there is not.
(3) There are several qualities of the mind and there are not.

Such foolish arguments are not real Buddhist teachings. According to
the Law of Buddhism, there are no such sayings in the Buddhist doctrine,
others refute.

Stupid men who tell stories in order to win a little fame and gain, lose
the profit resulted from the practices of monks. Furthermore, they will
fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration after the decay of their
bodies or at their death's door.

This is just like that stupid man who cut his son's head off for a pair
of gold earrings.

(87) THE ROBBER'S JOY

Once upon a time, there was a band of robbers who divided their boot
according to their different ranks. Among the belongings, there was a
Benares Kambala, the color of which left much to be desired. It was considered
as an inferior part to be given to one of the robbers of the lowest rank.
The robber got angry and made a strong protest to the rest.

Afterwards, he brought it to the city for sale. An honorable elderly
man paid him a high price. He ended up getting more money than any other
robber in the band. He then leaped for joy.

This is held to be true with the almsgiving. People who are doing almsgiving,
are usually not aware whether there will be a retribution. Be it ever
so little they are doing it, they, after death, go to Heaven to enjoy
an unlimited amount of happiness. The less they do, the more they get.
They will then regret for not having done enough.

This is just like the robber who was happy after he had got a top price
for his Kambala.

(88) THE FEMALE MONKEY AND
A HANDFUL OF BEANS

Once upon a time, there was a female monkey holding a handful of beans.
After dropping to the ground a grain of bean, she dropped all the beans
in her hands by looking for the first one. All beans were then eaten by
chicken and ducks before long.

This is held to be true with the common monks. Those who break one commandment
usually do not like to confess. Later, they break other commandments to
such an extent that they end up breaking all of them.

This is just like the female monkey who loses all beans by looking for
a grain of bean.

(89) THE GOLD WEASEL

Once upon a time, there was a man who found a gold weasel while traveling.
He put it inside of his shirt as he leaped for joy. Traveling on, he reached
a river where he took off his clothes for crossing.

Subsequently, the gold weasel changed into a poisonous snake. Nevertheless,
the man did not throw it out and kept it in the shirt. Deeply grateful,
the snake changed back into pure gold.

A stupid man nearby who saw it with his own eyes, took it for granted
that it should always turned out that way. He then put a poisonous snake
inside of his shirt. He got bitten and died soon after.

This is also held to be true with the stupid of the world. On seeing
those who have done good works and in turn have obtained benefit, people
start to attach themselves to Buddhism. They are not motivated by faith
but greed. They will finally fall into evil paths after death, like that
man died of snakebites.

(90) PICKING UP MONEY

Once upon a time, there was a poor man who picked up a sack of money
in the streets. He was overwhelmed with happiness. Then he began to count
the money. Suddenly, the real owner of the money showed up. He had to
give back the whole sack. He regretted for not having gone off to a far
away place sooner. He felt great pain for his loss.

This is also held to be true with people who come into contact with Buddhism.

Although people have the opportunity to meet the Three Precious One's
Blessings, if they are not going earnestly good work's in time, they will
fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration after their deaths. His
is just like that stupid man who gave back the money that he had found.
As the Stanza has it:

People, who are managing this business today, will plan another
tomorrow.
Only thinking of enjoyment without contemplation sorrow.
Can make a man unaware of the impermanence of death.
However, busily occupied in their worldly affairs.
The common people always retard to get deliverance like that man counting
the money.

(91) THE POOR WANT TO HAVE
AS MUCH AS THE RICH

Once upon a time, there was a poor man who had but few possessions. After
meeting some rich men, he wanted to be like one of them. Unable to do
so, he was about to throw the little he had into the water. Some bystander
said, "What you possess may be little, but you can live on it for
a while. Why do you want to throw it into the water?"

This is similar to what is done by the stupid of the world.

People who happen to be ordained men get offerings, which come way below
their expectations. What they have cannot equal that received by the high
and virtuous ones. They see that those old and virtuous ordained men are
supported by the mass of famous people. They want to be on an equal footing
with them. Unable to get equality, they feel sorrowful and painful to
such a degree as to break their faith.

This is just like the stupid man who, wanting to be equal with the rich,
casts out the precious possessions of his own.

(92) THE CHILD GETS HAPPY PILLS

Once upon a time, a wet nurse was walking along the road with a child
in her arms. She became also weary that she fell asleep on the way. Then
a man appeared and gave the child some happy pills. Being gluttonous,
the child was lured by the good taste and knew nothing about his intentions.
The man forthwith stripped the child of his necklace, brooches and garments.

This is also held to be true with the monks.

Intent upon worldly interests and noisy places, those who are greedy
for a little gain and support are drawn to temptation while a thief steals
their spiritual credit and treasured commandments. They are just like
that greedy child whose belongings are taken away by the thief, due to
the enticement of some tasteful pills.

(93) THE OLD WOMAN CAUGHT A
BEAR

Once upon a time, there was an old woman who was resting under a tree
when a bear came to attack her. She ran around the tree trying to get
away, while the bear held the tree with one hand and tried to grasp her
with the other. Thus hard pressed, the woman quickly hugged the tree and
held fast the bear's two claws so that the bear could not move. Then a
stranger came up to the spot. The old woman called out, "Let's catch
and kill the bear together. We'll share its meat."

The stranger believed the old woman's words and began to help capture
the bear. After seizing it, the old woman gave it up and ran away. Then
he was leaving in the lurch and got injured by its claws.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

People progress heresy whose theories are far from good and whose phrases
are tangled, complicated and full of errors. The successors want to continue
and give an interpretation to them. However, they are unable to grasp
the meaning. There for they are enmeshed in trouble just like that stupid
man catching the bear for another person and getting hurt instead.

(94) THE MANI AND THE SEWER

Once upon a time, there was a man who was having an affair with a married
woman. They were together when her husband came back. He found out their
affair and stopped outside the door waiting for the man to come out to
kill him. To the lover the woman said: "My husband knows what is
going on. There is no way out but the mani."

She wanted the man to escape by means of the sewer. The man misunderstood
her to mean looking for the mani pearls. He looked everywhere but in vain.
He said to himself: "I'll not leave here, if can't find the mani
pearls."

He was then killed by her husband.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

It is said, between birth and death, we live a life of impermanence,
suffering, emptiness and unreality of ego. We have to reject the two extremes
of annihilation and permanence by holding fast to the golden mean in order
to get deliverance. However, the common people, misunderstand the two
extremes to refer to the universe being finite and infinite and the human
beings having ego and having no ego. Therefore, they are unable to grasp
the meaning of the middle way to avoid extremes. After being stricken
with sudden death, they will be killed out of impermanence and falling
into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration.

This is just like the stupid man getting killed looking for man pearls.

(95) A DOVE

Once upon a time, there were two doves, male and female, which lived
together in a nest. They filled their nest with fruit seed that grew up
during the fall. Later, the fruit dried and shrank to fill but half of
the nest. The male was in a temper and said to the female, "We have
been working hard together for the fruit. Now you have eaten it alone.
It's half of what it was.

The female replied, "I haven't eaten it alone. For the fruit has
shrunk by itself."

Incredulous, the male angrily said, "If it has not been you alone
who had eaten, how could it grow so much less now?"

Then he pecked the female to death. A few days later, it happened to
rain heavily. The fruit got moist and grew to its former size. On seeing
it, the male regretfully realized that she really had not eaten and that
he had wrongly killed her. He then cried bitterly and called out to her:
"Where have you gone?"

This is also held to be true with the common people. Leading a disorderly
life, people indulge in wild pleasures. They think nothing of impermanence
when breaking major commandments. It will be too late for them to repent
afterwards. It only remains for them to give vent to their sadness with
sighs like the stupid dove.

(96) PRETENDING TO BE BLIND

Once upon a time, there was a trained craftsman who worked for the king.
He could not bear the hardship and deceitfully said he was blind in order
to release himself from the hard work.

On hearing it, another craftsman wanted to gouge out his own eyes so
as to avoid the tiresome drudgery. Someone then asked him, "Why do
you want to gouge out your eyes only to make yourself suffer more in another
way?"

Such a stupid man was laughed at by the people at large.

This is also held to be true with the common people. For the sake of
a little fame and gain, people are prone to tell wild stories and destroy
their pure commandments. They will fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration
after their death, like that stupid man destroying his own eyes for a
little benefit.

(97) THE WOOLLEN COAT WAS ROBBED
BY THE WICKED THIEF

Once upon a time, two friends were walking in the wilderness. On the
way, one of them wearing a woolen coat was robbed of it by a thief. The
other successfully escaped into a thicket. The loser of the coat had a
piece of gold concealed in the collar. To the thief, he said, "This
coat is worth one piece of gold. Now I beg you to let me redeem it at
that value."

The thief asked, "Where's the gold?"

Opening up the collar, the man showed it to him and said, "Here's
the pure gold. If you don't trust my words, you can go and ask a goldsmith
who is hiding in the thicket now?"

After seeing the second man, the thief also took his clothing from him.
Such a stupid man thus lost his woolen coat, gold and everything. Not
only had he lost his own belongings, he also made his friend lose them.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

Pious, having monastic grades and possessing other merits, people are
robbed by the thief of temptation. They lose their good teachings and
their merit as well. They lose not only the gain of their own, but also
make others lose their Karma leading to Buddhahood. They will fall into
the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration on the dissolution of the body
after death, like the two losing everything they had.

(98) A BOY CAUGHT A BIG TURTLE

Once upon a time, there was a boy who was playing on dry land and caught
a big turtle. He intended to kill it, but he did not know how to do so.
Therefore, he asked someone and he was told, "You just throw it into
the water and he'll be killed at once."

The boy believed the words and cast it into the water. Once in water,
the turtle swam away.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

Hoping to protect their six sense organs and consecrating themselves
to meritorious works, people do not know how to do so. Accordingly, they
begin to ask others how to bring about deliverance. To them, the heretics,
Maras, the evil ones and the wicked friends say in their words, "You
just have to be fond of the six sense organs and indulge in the Five Desires.
As I'm telling you, you'll get deliverance."

Such stupid men follow these words without deep thinking and fall into
the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration on the dissolution of the body
after death.

This is just like that boy throwing the turtle into the water.

EPILOGUE
BY THE REVEREND SANGHA SUNA

I have compiled this sutra with joking words that may spoil the Truth.

The question here is whether they are in accord with the Truth.

Still, like the bitter medicine that blends with rock honey can cure
the most severe diseases.

So also may this sutra.

As with strong medicine, the humorous joking words are used in the correct
doctrine of the Buddha.

The correct doctrine of Buddhism and its deep meditation illuminate the
world, like someone taking a purgative to cleanse the body.

The inspiration that I have developed is derived from my deep meditation.

Agada medicine is wrapped in tree leaves. The leaves should be dropped
after the medicine is taken or smeared over the wound.

The humorous joking words are like the wrappings while the truth is inside.

The wise men will take the Truth, but discard the humorous joking words.